Camouflage suits and combat suits used heretofore reduce the discoverability of the soldier in the visible and near infrared of the electromagnetic spectrum but have no action in the thermal infrared. Because of the greater and greater availability of thermal imaging devices, the soldier is increasingly unprotected against detection.
Offered as a solution are suits that reduce the signature in the thermal infrared, the overwhelming majority of these suits functioning by virtue of their construction. This means that these suits are constructed in three-dimensional fashion or exhibit a plurality of plies, as described for example in the patent application published as JP2005335154. What is described is a multi-ply laminate material exhibiting a base apparel fabric covered by a metal ply, which in turn is covered with a further resin ply. The publication WO98/12494 describes a three-dimensional camouflage material exhibiting a textile outer ply that covers a microporous membrane. This microporous membrane is partly equipped with an infrared-reflecting metal coating. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,007 describes an open fabric structure that is covered with a multiplicity of fabric strips that extend at least almost away from the open structure in freely movable fashion. These quasi-loose-hanging strips exhibit a low emission in order to ensure protection against recognition in the infrared region.
Further known are so-called pelerines, which once again exhibit a closed surface or outer skin, which are provided with a metal coating similarly to the Japanese patent application cited. Both the solution described in the Japanese publication and also the pelerines mentioned are not, however, very well suited for combat service.
It is therefore an object of the invention to propose a camouflage suit that can ensure at least partial protection against recognition even in the case of so-called thermal imaging devices.
The invention is achieved with a camouflage suit comprising a breath-active fabric exhibiting an open fabric structure based on a textile backing exhibiting at least in part a low-emitting surface, wherein the breath-active fabric is applied to or bonded by pointwise lamination to a textile fabric commonly used for outdoor apparel or work apparel.